Milwaukee-area Catholics reacted joyfully to the news of a new pope. Cardinal Robert Prevost, who chose the name Pope Leo XIV, was elected a day after the conclave began. He's the first American pope in history.

Chicagoans celebrated the historic election of Pope Leo XIV, the first pope from the U.S. and a Chicago native, with joy and hope for a renewed focus on social justice and unity within the Catholic Church.

Father Eduardo Perez from St. Augustine of Hippo in Bay View believes Pope Leo XIV, being from Chicago and serving in Peru, will have a shared understanding of American and Latin American cultures, just like so many members of his congregation.